


Lily Luna Potter and the Castle in the Lake

by whimsicalMedley



Series: The Lily Luna Potter Chronicles [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, BAMF Lily Luna Potter, F/F, F/M, Harry Potter Next Generation, Hufflepuff Lily Luna Potter, Implied/Referenced Torture, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-09-09 15:35:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8897476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whimsicalMedley/pseuds/whimsicalMedley
Summary: After Harry James Potter saved the world, a new generation began to emerge. The year is now 2019, and it's Lily Luna Potter’s first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She's not only scared that she won't be able to fulfill her parents’ high expectations, but the feeling that she's being watched is something she can't seem to shake. The fact that Hogwarts (yet again) isn't as safe as before definitely isn't helping. With enemies, friends, and a foreboding woman on the rise to power, Lily is in for a big year.





	1. Goodbyes and New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> *crumples up canon and slam dunks it into the trash* okay now that that's over with, let's go.
> 
> This story will be seven books long, and follow Lily Luna Potter through her years at Hogwarts. I'm hella excited about this and I've planned most of it out, so I should be able to finish!
> 
> NOTE: I HAVE NOT READ CURSED CHILD BECAUSE THE PLOT SOUNDS LIKE A BAD FANFICTION TO ME, SO THIS WILL NOT FOLLOW CURSED CHILD. SORRY.

Lily Luna Potter was your average eleven year old witch. She had bright red hair, hazel eyes, a multitude of freckles, and a plump figure. Lily enjoyed playing outside until her pale skin turned red, eating her father’s chocolate chip cookies, and pranking her two older brothers.

James Sirius Potter, the oldest, was like Lily. They both enjoyed pranks, they were stubborn, and could go from punching and kicking each other to laughing together in seconds. Albus, on the other hand, was quiet. Lily would sit with Al and read books, or play checkers (Lily _hated_ chess, to the point she didn’t even bother learning the rules). When the three of them got together, Lily had to play mediator between the two boys. James would take a joke too far, Al would get angry, and Lily would have to calm them both down. No matter what, however, at the end of the day, they’d be fast friends.

Lily looked just like her mother, except for the fact she wasn’t athletic in the slightest. Lily was convinced that Ginny Potter was the best person in the world. She was kind and caring, but stern when she needed to be. She would sit with Lily when she was upset, listen to her rant and rave, and then offer advice. Lily loved her mum more than anything.

Lily loved her dad too, but she wasn’t as close to him as Albus was. Her dad was slightly overworked, but Lily _knew_ he cared. Whenever he had time, he’d call Lily into the kitchen and ask her to help him bake. It was a little ritual they had, and Lily cherished it, because it was something she could _do._ Mum had tried to teach Lily how to ride a broom, but she was dreadful. It was embarrassing, not only because her mother had been captain of the Hollyhead Harpies, but James had witnessed the entire thing and teased her for weeks (Lily had enough one day and punched him however, and that was that).

“Lily! Lily, it’s time to wake up, love!”

Lily sat up, rubbed her eyes, and exhaled shakily. It was September 1st, 2019. Her first day at Hogwarts.

“I’m up mum, be down in a minute!” She called.

The truth was, Lily had been up since four in the morning, worrying. She knew that her parents wouldn’t care what house she ended up in (after all, Al was a Slytherin), but she still was unsure. Where _would_ she end up? Probably not Slytherin, considering she wasn’t cunning in the slightest. Ravenclaw was also a no, because Lily wasn’t one to stick to something for long. The redhead wasn’t sure if she wanted to go to Gryffindor, considering she wasn’t all that keen on her brother’s teasing. The other problem with Gryffindors was the fact they were just…a bit _much._ Loud, brash, obnoxious…Lily wasn’t sure that was her. Sure, she was loud, and could jump into things without thinking, but that wasn’t because she was super _brave_ or anything.

Shaking her head, Lily put on her favorite dress, grabbed her converse and her trunk, and made her way downstairs.

When she got there, her family was already at the table. Smiling at her mother, Lily took her usual seat as a plate of chocolate chip pancakes was placed in front of her. Her smile became much more genuine at that. They had made her favorite breakfast. A wave of gratitude washed over Lily, and she realized that she wouldn’t be seeing her parents for months at a time now. Her mum seemed to read her thoughts, and smoothed her hair back.

“Just focus on breakfast, Lils.” She said, and Lily nodded jerkily.

“Aw, is Silly Little Lily going to cry?” James taunted, and before their mother could reprimand him, Lily picked up the syrup and squirted it at him. It landed on his shirt, and he cried out in indignation.

“Serves you right, you jerk!” Lily smirked, and their mum sighed, but she was trying to hide her smile.

“Go and change your shirt Jamie, and stop teasing your sister.” Ginny said. James grumbled at the nickname but complied, standing up and shooting Lily a murderous glare. Lily smiled at him angelically. Al watched the entire exchange in amusement, and high fived Lily when James left.

“Alright, we’ve got fifteen minutes until we need to leave.” Lily’s dad announced, and then turned to Lily with a crooked smile, “excited, Lils?”

“Yep! Nervous, but excited!” Lily announced, smiling back. Harry nodded in approval.

After James returned, the Potter family made their way to the car. It was old, but worked, and that was all that mattered.

“Can we fly?” James asked excitedly, giving his parents the puppy dog eyes. Before Harry could even blink, Ginny had said, “not after last year, James Sirius Potter.”

In short, the car ride was full of a pouting James, a quiet Al, and an extremely nervous Lily.

* * *

 As Lily ran through the barrier, she couldn’t help but grin. Platform 9¾ was as amazing as she remembered.

As soon as Lily’s luggage was on the train, she turned to her parents.

“Alright, love, this is it.” Her mum said, smiling at her widely. Lily could feel her eyes water, and she threw her arms around her parents.

“I’m going to miss you both.” She muttered, and she felt two pairs of arms around her.

“We’ll miss you too. Don’t worry, you’ve got your brothers, and we’ll write as often as you want.” Her dad replied, and Lily made a sound that was a mix of a laugh and a sob.

“‘You’ve got your brothers’ isn’t very reassuring, dad.”

Harry and Ginny laughed, squeezing her tightly as the warning whistle sounded.

“That’s your cue.” Ginny said, kissing her forehead, “knock ‘em dead.”

Lily boarded the train with Al and James, who were kind enough to not make fun of her for her emotional display. The three siblings ran into a compartment, and waved at their parents through the open window. As the train began to take off, Lily shouted, “see you at Christmas!”

In a matter of seconds, they were gone.

Lily turned to James and Al.

“So, what now?” She asked, and James rolled his eyes.

“So _I’m_ going to sit with my friends. Have fun.” He said, and before Lily could protest, he was gone.

“And then there were two.” The eleven year old sighed, and turned to Al, who looked at her apologetically.

“I was…actually planning on sitting with my friends too. You can come with if you’d like, but…” Lily shook her head, slightly put out.

“Go on. You probably don’t want your little sister annoying you.” She said, an edge to her voice. Albus looked ready to argue, but Lily shoved him out of the compartment.

“And now there’s one.” Lily muttered, flopping onto a seat. So much for having her brothers.


	2. Budding Friendships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily meets new people, teases her brother about his not-so-boyfriend, and prepares to be sorted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so updates probs won't be this frequent, but I'm pumped for this story and it's winter break, sooooooooo
> 
> Anyway, Merry Christmas Eve, and Happy Hanukkah!
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> NOTE: IF AL OR SCORPIUS ARE OOC, REMEMBER: I HAVEN'T READ CURSED CHILD. I bought it for my sister for Christmas so I might suffer through it for scorbus, but idk.

After a few minutes of sitting by herself, Lily had to move. Determined, the eleven year old stood and stalked out of the compartment. If her brothers wouldn’t talk with her, then she’d find someone else!

Looking around at the other compartments, Lily found almost all of them were full of people who already knew each other. Sighing, she almost gave up, until she made it to one of the last one. A girl with blonde hair pulled into a long ponytail was sitting alone, watching the scenery roll by. The girl was already changed into her Hogwarts robes, but she didn’t have any emblem on them.

_ She must be a first year, _ thought Lily,  _ thank Merlin, someone to actually talk to! _

Lily opened the compartment and cleared her throat. The girl jumped, but didn’t look completely unhappy with being interrupted.

“Erm, sorry, I was just wondering if I could sit with you?” Lily asked, and the girl’s face brightened.

“Sure!” She replied, with a startling American accent.

Lily beamed, and she stuck her hand out.

“Hello, I’m Lily Potter. Nice to meet you!” At this, the girl’s eyes widened.

“Potter? As in Harry Potter?” She asked curiously, and Lily internally groaned. Her face must’ve changed, because the girl quickly grasped Lily’s hand.

“Nevermind, that was a dumb question. I’m Baylee Jones, nice to meet you too!” Sighing in relief, Lily took a seat across from Baylee. She was grateful that she had dropped the question about her father. Lily had gotten looks before, but she’d heard from both James and Albus that it was worse at school.

“You’re American?” Lily questioned, and Baylee smirked.

“Yep. Moved to England two years ago.” She replied, and Lily’s eyes gleamed.

“Cool! Do you really not use Latin spells over there?” She asked, and Baylee’s face turned the color of Lily’s hair.

“Oh, um, I’m actually a…muggleborn? I think that’s the word?” She said hesitantly, and Lily smiled kindly.

“Yes, that’s the word. I wouldn’t worry about that too much though, my Aunt Hermione is a muggleborn and she’s one of the smartest witches I know.” Baylee seemed to relax at those words, and the two girls began to swap stories.

“You really fell off the broom that quickly?” Baylee laughed after some time, and Lily flushed red.

“The worst part is my mum was captain of the Hollyhead Harpies. That’s a professional Quidditch team.” Lily groaned, and Baylee snorted.

“What does your mom do now?” The blonde asked, her blue eyes looking at Lily curiously.

“She writes columns for Quidditch games, actually. It’s really boring. I don’t really like Quidditch that much, but don’t tell my brother James I said that.” The redhead laughed, and Baylee nodded.

A knock at the door made the girls jumped, and there stood Albus.

“We’re almost there, Lily. You might want to get changed.” He said, smiling at the pair of them. Lily nodded in affirmation.

“Thanks for telling me Al, you can go back to making out with your boyfriend now.” Lily said, a glint in her eye. Al flushed a deep red, and glared at his sister mutinously. Lily merely smiled back brightly.

“Scorpius isn’t my boyfriend!” Al hissed, and Lily laughed.

“Really? You’re sure? With the way you talk about him, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Lily then dramatically put the back of her hand on her forehead and shouted, “today Scorpius and I did this! Scorpius is so amazing! Scorpius, you’re too good for my cousin! Love me instead!”

Albus leapt into the compartment and slapped a hand over Lily’s mouth, hissing, “shut up! I don’t say that!”

Al then pulled his hand back in disgust. It took a second for Baylee, who was torn between laughter and concern for Al, to realize that Lily had licked him.

“Stop being such a  _ child!” _

“I’m eleven Albus, I  _ am _ a child!”

“Why are you so  _ annoying?” _ Al groaned.

“I’m your little sister, it’s part of the job.” Lily snickered, and then Scorpius Malfoy poked his head in.

“Why are you shouting?” The blond asked, and Lily’s eyes lit up.

“Albus here was just telling me how much he lov—” Lily started, but then Al dashed for the door.

“Let’s go Scorpius!” He said hastily, grabbing the arm of his fellow Slytherin. Albus shot a venomous glare behind a very confused Scorpius, and then, they were gone.

“Young love.” Lily said to Baylee with a giggle, and the muggleborn furrowed her eyebrows.

“Are they actually…?” 

“No, but they want to be.” The eleven year old sighed, “but anyway, I should get changed if we’ll be there soon.”

After Lily changed into her robes, the two girls pressed their faces to the glass of the window nervously.

“We’re slowing down. Oh god, I can’t do this, why did I think I could do this?” Baylee whispered, pacing the length of the compartment

“Hey,” Lily grabbed Baylee’s arm, “you’re going to be alright. People are going to think your American accent is awesome, and nobody is going to care that you’re muggleborn. If they do, just punch them.”

Baylee laughed breathlessly, and nodded.

“Yeah. Okay. I…can do this. Thank you.”

The two girls walked out of the compartment…and right into another person.

“Shoot, sorry!” Baylee said, stumbling backwards into Lily, who promptly fell on her butt. Looking up, Lily saw that it was two girls instead of one.

The one they had bumped into had glossy black curls that reached her shoulders, and her pale skin was flushed slightly in embarrassment. The other girl had dark brown skin, and her hair was cropped short, with intricate designs shaved into it. This girl’s brown eyes were alight with amusement, however, and a smile was on her face.

“It’s alright,” the second girl said, offering Lily a hand, “we weren’t looking either.”

Lily gratefully took her hand, and pulled herself upright.

Baylee stuck her hand out and smiled, her previous nerves seemingly forgotten.

“Hi, I’m Baylee Jones!” She said proudly, and the two new girls looked at her appraisingly.

“American?” The pale girl asked, and Baylee nodded.

“Wicked! I’m Artemis!” She said excitedly, and the two girls shook hands.

“Faye Shacklebolt.” The girl who pulled Lily up said happily, and Lily shook her hand.

“I’m Lily Potter.” Lily saw Artemis’ eyes widen, and Lily braced herself.

“Wait…is your mum Ginny Potter? Old captain and chaser of the Hollyhead Harpies?”

Lily blinked. That was different.

“Yeah?” She said it more like a question, because this wasn’t how it went usually. People would always ask about her father and about the war, not that Lily knew much about it. Nobody in her family liked to talk about it. Nobody talked about how Uncle George would sometimes turn to the air next to him after a joke, and how his face would crumple. How Uncle Percy would look down in shame, or how gran would discreetly wipe her eyes whenever someone said anything about it. Lily certainly didn’t bring it up when she’d wake up to hear her father shouting in his sleep, and how, after her mum woke him up, quiet sobs would filter through the door.

“That’s so cool! What’s she like? Is she nice? I bet she’s nice. Oh Merlin, I’ve always wanted to meet Ginny Potter!” Artemis rambled, her gray eyes sparkling.

Lily laughed quietly, and Baylee and Faye looked at Artemis in amusement.

“Mum is great.” Lily replied, and began to answer all of Artemis’ questions, no matter how silly. Lily could go on about her mother all day.

Before the girls knew it, they had reached the boats. Faye looked at them nervously, and Lily tried to smile at her reassuringly.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She whispered to her, and Faye nodded shakily.

After the four girls got out of the boat, green in the face from all of Artemis’ moving about (“I heard there’s a giant squid! I  _ need _ to see it!”), they arrived at the entrance to the Great Hall.

Lily was too busy looking around in wonder to properly hear what the Professor up front was saying, and soon, the doors opened. The first years dutifully walked forward, and Lily gulped. She spotted James at the Gryffindor table, and he smiled and gave her a thumbs up. It took her a second to find Al at the Slytherin table, but when she did, he gave her a small smile. He was still probably a bit miffed about earlier, but he knew she was nervous.

Lily turned to Baylee, whose face was white with terror. Grabbing her hand (for herself and for her friend), the eleven year old took a deep breath. Even Artemis had gone silent. Fear gripped her lungs, but she forced herself to stay calm.

It was time to be sorted.


	3. Black and Yellow Pride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily is finally sorted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment you've all been waiting for lmao

“Greene, Seamus!”

Lily felt like her heart was in her throat.

Another name was called.

She totally couldn’t do this.

Another name.

It was too hot in the room.

“Jones, Baylee!”

A small squeak left Baylee’s lips, and she made her way to the front of the hall. She sat on the stool, and the hat was dropped onto her head. A few seconds passed, and the hat cried, _“HUFFLEPUFF!”_

A table full of yellow and black cheered loudly, their faces alight with happiness. The entire group seemed to emit comfort and kindness, and Baylee made her way over to them. She flashed Lily a bright smile, and Lily tried to return the gesture (although it probably looked like a grimace).

After five minutes that felt like hours, they finally got to P.

“Potter, Lily!”

Whispers broke out through the hall, and Lily walked forward. Her body felt hot and cold at the same time, and her throat was dry. The hat was placed on her head, and the world went black.

_“Ah, I see…”_ crooned a voice, and Lily fought the urge to jump, _“another Potter, quite different from her brothers. Kind, loyal, compassionate…you would do anything for a friend, wouldn’t you?”_

_“Yes. I would.”_ Lily thought, gulping slightly.

_“A very big sense of what is right and what is wrong, too…I’d say…HUFFLEPUFF!”_

Lily breathed a sigh of relief, and she could hear Baylee cheering loudly. She turned to the Slytherin table to see Albus smiling at her. At the Gryffindor table, she could hear James yelling, “THAT’S MY SISTER!” and clapping loudly. A little red in the face, Lily quickly walked to the Hufflepuff table. Baylee moved to the side to give the redhead some room, and Lily sat down, grinning wildly.

“Thank Merlin, someone I know!” Lily exclaimed, hugging Baylee and laughing.

“I know!” Baylee replied, hugging her back.

As the minutes went by, Lily’s heart finally calmed down. Hufflepuff. It sounded nice.

“Rosier, Artemis!”

The Great Hall broke into whispers again, but for a whole different reason. The Rosiers, a well known pureblood family, obsessed with blood purity. Artemis seemed nothing like that, and Lily’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Why is everyone whispering?” Baylee asked, and Lily shook her head.

Artemis sat there for what seemed like hours. The room had gone completely silent, everyone looking around nervously. She was bound to be Slytherin like her family, right?

_“HUFFLEPUFF!”_

The room sat in a stunned silence for a moment, before Lily started to cheer. Soon, her table was brought out of its trance, clapping loudly for their newest addition. Artemis made her way over to Lily and Baylee, her face bright red.

“That was terrifying.” She said, breathless. Lily gestured to the seat across from them, and Artemis took a seat

“I know. Hey, at least you know some people in the house though!” Baylee replied happily, and the three girls turned to the front of the hall.

“I just hope Faye makes it here too.” Lily heard Artemis mutter.

“Shacklebolt, Faye!”

The hat barely touched her head before it yelled, _“HUFFLEPUFF!”_

Artemis leapt to her feet and cheered loudly, making Lily and Baylee smile. Faye made her way to the table, her smile wide. As soon as she was close enough, Artemis pulled her into a tight hug.

“I _knew_ you’d be here!” Artemis laughed, and Faye sat down next to her.

The sorting seemed to go much quickly for Lily now that she was sorted, and soon the feast started. Baylee’s jaw dropped at the sight of the food appearing, and the three girls laughed. Lily noticed that Artemis was getting a lot of looks from the other tables, and she was thankful that the Hufflepuffs seemed to accept her without question.

“A Rosier in _Hufflepuff?_ That’s insane…” Lily heard from the table behind her, and quickly began a conversation.

When the feast was over, Lily heard a shout behind her. The four girls turned to see James walking over, smiling widely.

“Welcome to Hogwarts, Silly Lily.” He said, and Lily rolled her eyes.

“Shut it James.” Lily retorted, and James seemed to grin wider.

“I mean, you aren’t in the best house, but Hufflepuffs are alright I guess.” He teased, and with a sigh, Lily punched him in the arm. Hard.

“Ow! Really?” James whined, rubbing his arm and glaring at his sister.

“Yes, really. Now get going Mr. Prefect, before lovely Samantha kills you for not helping her get the first years to the common room.” James paled, looking over at his table to see his fellow prefect, Samantha Clearwater, glaring at him venomously. With what sounded suspiciously like a whimper, James was gone.

Lily turned to the girls to see them snickering.

“Wonderfully done, Lily.” Artemis snorted, high fiving her.

“Hufflepuff first years, follow me!”

The four girls turned towards the voice, and saw everyone walking towards the doors of the Great Hall.

“C’mon, don’t want to get lost!” Baylee said, and then walked right into someone.

“Oi!” The boy cried, glaring at Baylee, “watch it!”

Lily remembered him from the sorting; Seamus, sorted into Gryffindor. He had shoulder length brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He would’ve been attractive, if it weren’t for the ugly scowl on his face.

“Hey, it isn’t a big deal. She didn’t mean to.” Faye piped up, crossing her arms. Seamus leered at her, and stalked away.

“Jeez, what a jerk.” Lily mumbled, and then turned to Baylee, “you okay?”

Baylee nodded, biting her lip.

“Well,” Artemis started suddenly, “best get to the common room!”

* * *

The common room was _wonderful._

The first years looked around in awe, and Artemis was practically bouncing.

“Best part is, we’re close to the kitchens.” Alexis, the prefect who led them to the common room, said with a wink. Faye’s eyes sparkled.

After settling in, Lily turned to her friends suddenly.

“Ooh, want to see a trick my dad taught me?” She asked, and the girls nodded. Lily took out her wand, and with a flick, yellow and black streamers and confetti leapt from the tip. Faye smiled, Baylee’s eyes widened, and Artemis broke into a cheer.

“To celebrate getting into Hufflepuff!” Lily laughed, and she heard someone clear their throat behind her.

A girl with frizzy brown hair and eyes as green as her father's was glaring at her, and Lily held her breath.

“Could you maybe stop showing off?” She asked, and Lily’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Uh…no offense, but who are you?” The redhead retorted, and the girl’s tanned skin flushed slightly.

“Eden. I know you’re a Potter, and they’re known to show off, but please tone it down.”

“Well sorry, your majesty. I didn’t realize this was your kingdom.” Lily scowled, and Eden huffed and stalked away.

“That was rude.” Faye said, her expression puzzled.

“What’s her problem?” Baylee asked, and Artemis rolled her eyes.

“Who cares. Doesn’t matter.” Artemis said, and Lily nodded in agreement.

When Lily’s head hit the pillow that night she was out like a light, all thoughts of Eden and her rude words forgotten.


	4. Whispers of Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to subject the babies to some sadness lol whoops

As September began to fly by, the Lily and her friends fell into a routine. On weekdays, Faye would wake the group up at six (much to Artemis’ complaints), and they would go down to breakfast. There, they would use their spoons to fling food at each other, and generally cause trouble. Eden Smith (as it turns out was her last name), the girl with the tan skin and green eyes who had scolded Lily on their first night, would always roll her eyes and scoff.

After breakfast, they would go down to history of magic, a class they shared with the Ravenclaws. It was dreadfully dull, to the point that even the most studious Ravenclaws would fall asleep. Because it was right after breakfast, Lily often found herself dozing in the class. Baylee would try to keep up,  considering she was completely new to this world, but she was just as lost.

After that, the four girls would head down to the dungeons for potions. Lily found herself quite good at it, considering all the times she’d spend cooking with her father. Professor Hawkins was a kind young witch, head of Slytherin house, and had just recently taken over Professor Slughorn’s place. The only problem with the class, however, was that the Hufflepuffs shared it with the Gryffindors. Most of them weren’t all bad, but Seamus, the boy who Baylee had bumped into, was awful. He would always show off his skills (“my father is a world famous potioneer, you know.”), and Lily always wanted to curse his mouth shut whenever he opened it.

Violent for a Hufflepuff, but Lily didn’t care.

Herbology was next, and Faye had a natural talent for it. Lily had never successfully kept a plant alive, but Professor Longbottom (Uncle Neville at home) was always kind enough to help. Baylee and Artemis weren’t good at it either, and Faye would usually have to discreetly help them when the Professor wasn’t looking.

Charms was fun in theory, but Lily was awful at it. Artemis, on the other hand, was naturally gifted. She would be able to get the spells on her first try, resulting in cheers from Lily, Baylee, and Faye. Artemis would soak up the positive attention with a happy smile and a giggle. This class was also shared with Gryffindors, and it was always satisfying to see Seamus’ face turn bright red in anger whenever Artemis would wink at him when she got a spell right.

Lunch would be next, and Lily would stop at the entrance hall to talk with Albus and James for a bit. They’d ask how she was doing, if she was adjusting well enough, and the redhead was struck by how they actually wanted to know if she was okay. Lily told them as much one day, and Al laughed while James rolled his eyes and said, “you’re our little sister Lils, of course we care.”

After lunch, Lily and her friends would go to transfiguration, which was hands down her favorite class. The headmistress still taught it, and Lily absolutely adored her. Professor McGonagall had visited Lily’s parents a lot when she was younger, and the eleven year old remembered that the older woman would turn into a cat and let Lily pet her. Their first lesson was to turn a piece of wood into a sewing needle, something that Lily did perfectly on the first try. Even she hadn’t expected it. The professor had looked at Lily, a small smile on her face, and told her, “you seemed to of inherited your transfiguration skills from your grandfather.”

Lily almost cried right there, but she’d never admit that.

James Fleamont Potter, the man her brother was named after, her granddad, and the man she’d never get to meet. The man her own father didn’t really know. When Lily was old enough, her parents finally sat her down and told her about Voldemort. How he’d gone to Godric’s Hollow (the place they’d visit every November 1st) and killed her grandparents in cold blood, but that since her gran had sacrificed herself, her father lived. Her father told her everything he knew about Lily’s namesake, how she was kind and caring, but had a fire inside her, and that she’d be very proud of the girl Lily was becoming. Lily had actually cried that time.

Defense against the dark arts was something that wore Lily out quickly. It was extremely high paced, and Lily could only do so much after a long day. Baylee was a natural. She had been nervous at first, but she quickly found out that she was just as good as the rest of them, if not better. Professor Patil was an extremely talented witch, and had worked with the school for years. When she showed the class her Patronus at their request, she had winked at Lily and told her that it was something taught to her by her dad.

Finally dinner would come around, then bed, and the four girls would be exhausted. Baylee would always be the first to crash, followed by Faye. Lily and Artemis would stay up and talk most nights, until they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

On a Saturday near the end of September was when Artemis got the letter.

_ “SORTED INTO THE HOUSE OF PANSIES AND PUSHOVERS,”  _ a voice shrieked,  _ “AND CONSORTING WITH MUDBLOODS? WE OUGHT TO BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME. YOU’VE BROUGHT DISGRACE TO THE FAMILY NAME, ARTEMIS BELLATRIX ROSIER! CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY YOUR MOTHER AND I AREN’T THERE TO DEAL WITH YOU OURSELVES.” _

A silence enveloped the dining hall, and the three girls looked to Artemis with wide eyes. Artemis herself watched as the howler tore itself to shreds, and her bottom lip wobbled. Lily heard an obnoxious laugh from the Gryffindor table, and saw Seamus pointing at Artemis and whispering to his friends, who all started to laugh too. The majority of the Hufflepuff table glared at him, which made him recoil slightly. Lily turned to Artemis, but she was quickly running out of the room.

“Artemis!” Faye called, as Baylee shouted for her to wait. The three of them took off without a second thought.

They found Artemis in an alcove near the stairs, hiccuping as tears ran down her face. Lily grabbed her hand and coaxed her out, and when she stepped towards them, they pulled her into a hug.

“I’m s—sorry, I just—”

“Shut up Artemis, it’s not your fault.” Faye cut her off, her tone fierce, and Artemis broke into a fresh round of sobs.

The weeks passed quickly after that. By the end of the first day, however, the entire school had heard about how Artemis Rosier had received a howler from her blood supremacist family. Seamus had made it his point to tease Artemis about it every opportunity he got, until Lily had enough and punched him hard enough to break his nose.

The detentions were completely worth it.

In October, Lily was glancing through the Prophet when she saw it. It was a small column, but still there. Bold letters spelled out:

**_FIVE MUGGLEBORNS DECLARED MISSING_ **

Lily’s eyes went wide, and she silently passed the Prophet to Faye. Faye bit her lip as she read the words, her eyebrows furrowing in concern.

“What is it?” Baylee asked, and Lily turned to Faye.

“Five muggleborns have gone missing.” Faye replied quietly, her dark eyes sympathetic.

“Why does it matter that they’re muggleborn? There’s nothing wrong with that!” Baylee exclaimed, and Artemis sighed.

“You’re right, there isn’t. But some people disagree. Some people think your blood is dirty, and that you don’t belong in the wizarding world.” Artemis said quietly, uncharacteristically still. Baylee’s face turned ashen, and Artemis grabbed her hand.

“They’re wrong, of course. But they’re also dangerous.”

“Baylee, you’re a witch, aren’t you?” Lily interrupted, and Baylee nodded shakily, so Lily replied with, “then you’re supposed to be here.”

“I know, it’s just—I know it’s silly, but I’m scared.” Baylee whispered, and Faye shook her head.

“It’s not silly. You have every right to be scared. But we’re your friends, and we’ll protect you.” She said, and Baylee smiled softly.

“I’ll write my dad. He’s an auror, he should know what’s going on.” Lily declared, and the three girls nodded.

Lily had no idea what was going on, or what would happen, but she knew she’d look out for her friends. That’s what Hufflepuffs did.


	5. On The Rise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Artemis has a story to tell, and Lily is concerned.

As the months droned on, Lily managed to stay on top of her classes. She wasn't the smartest in their year (that was probably Eden), but she was beginning to get a reputation, along with her friends. After successfully managing to charm a dungbomb to explode on Seamus’ head, the four girls were known for being pranksters. What they did was harmless, but still detention worthy. Not that Lily cared about that. As long as she could get people laughing, she was fine.

Now, a few days before Christmas break, Lily was excited. She was finally able to go home and see her family. Yes, both of her parents had written her, but it wasn't the same as  _ seeing _ them. If Lily was being completely honest, she missed her mother’s hugs more than anything.

“Hey,” Baylee started, a mischievous look in her eye, “any ideas for a prank?”

“Here we go again. Stop giving us ideas, you yank.” Faye sighed, rolling her eyes teasingly. Baylee shoved her.

“Shut up, limey! I'm just  _ really _ bored. I need entertainment. We should get Seamus again. He's a jerk.”

“True, but what should we do?” Lily asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Baylee began to say something, but was cut off by the door to their room being slammed open, making the three girls jump in surprise. Artemis was standing there, panting heavily.

“That was unnecessarily loud, Artemis.” Faye scolded, but then they saw the look on her face. She was paler than usual, her eyes wide with fright. Lily jumped off of her bed and ran towards her.

“Artemis, are you okay? What's wrong?” She asked, and Artemis gulped.

“Let me sit down. I have a lot to tell you.”

The girls all sat in a circle on Artemis’ bed, concern etched on their faces, while Artemis’ eyes were frosty.

“A fifth year Slytherin talked to me today,” she started quietly, “asking me if I'd like to change the course of history. Said that a man was coming, a man that was going to finish what Voldemort started. He…wanted me to join him.”

“What did you say?” Baylee whispered, and Artemis snorted.

“Told him I wasn't interested in blood supremacy and to sod off before I hexed him.” She scoffed, clenching her fists, “like I'd ever join a cult that focuses on your blood. Kinda creepy, if you ask me.”

“But who do you think that is?” Lily muttered, “who's coming? Who's going to try to finish wiping out muggleborns?”

Baylee looked pale. Faye placed a hand on her shoulder, saying, “don't worry too much Baylee. Hogwarts is the safest place to be.”

Baylee nodded shakily, and ran her fingers through her blonde hair.

“I know, it's just…weird. This whole “mudblood” thing. Unfortunately, the muggle world  _ and _ wizarding world both have stupid prejudices.”

“True.” Lily sighed.

“I'm nothing like my family,” Artemis whispered, “I don't buy into that bull. I'm not going to turn out like them…right?”

“Of course not. Artemis, you're one of the kindest witches I know. You'll be fine.” Lily said, pulling Artemis into a hug.

“She's right!” Baylee exclaimed, “you wouldn't talk to me if you were like them, would you?”

Artemis nodded, exhaling shakily.

“C’mon, let's go to the kitchens. I could use some food.” Faye said softly, and the girls agreed.

As Lily ate her ice cream, however, she couldn't help but worry that something big was coming.

* * *

As the Hogwarts Express began to pull in to Kings Cross, Lily turned to her friends.

“Be sure to write me, okay? I dunno how I'm going to survive without you!” She laughed, only half joking. The girls agreed, and hugged each other goodbye.

When Lily hugged Artemis, she whispered, “write me if you need anything. Seriously. I don't want anything bad happening at home.”

Artemis shot her a watery smile, and then she was gone.

After Lily found James and Albus, they began to walk towards the platform.

“So, how was your first half of the year, Lily?” Albus asked, and she smiled.

“Amazing!” Lily exclaimed, and James laughed.

“My favorite part was probably the dungbomb. Classic.” He snorted, high fiving Lily. Suddenly, Lily heard her name being called.

“Mum! Dad!” She exclaimed, and grabbed her both of her brother’s hands.

“Come on you slowpokes, it's mum and dad!”

As Lily wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck, she couldn't stop the tears that filled her eyes.

_ Finally. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four people...that are pranksters...one is a Potter...one is a pureblood who rejects their family...do you see where I'm going with this lmao


	6. Christmas at the Potter's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas at the Potter's is an event, and Lily receives an unlikely gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon divergence maybe? I have no idea, I haven't read Cursed Child. But anyway, enjoy, R&R, and all that fun stuff!

Christmas Day at the Potter household was always an… _ event, _ to put it lightly.

Lily’s cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and Teddy all showed up. They would all exchange gifts, eat until they couldn’t move, and generally have a good time. Lily was the youngest, which was a blessing and a curse. On one hand, everyone would dote on her, which was nice. On the other, she was often excluded from the  _ important _ conversations.

“Lily!” A voice exclaimed, and the redhead grinned. She turned to see Teddy Lupin walking towards her, holding his arms out.

“Teddy!” Lily laughed, and hugged him tightly.

“Finally, another Hufflepuff in the family! I was beginning to get sick of all the Gryffindors.” He said with a wink, and Lily snorted and nodded her head in agreement.

“Hey, I’m not a Gryffindor.” Albus scoffed, and Teddy leaned down to ruffle his hair.

“True. But still, you didn’t get sorted into the best house!” He teased, his blue hair turning a bright shade of purple. Albus pushed his hand away, glaring.

“OI!” James cried, walking over, “Gryffindor is  _ definitely _ the best house, you lot can stuff it.”

“Tell me Jamie,” Lily started sweetly, ignoring the scowl on her brother’s face, “have you managed to find the kitchens yet?”

At the look on James’ face, Teddy burst into laughter and high fived Lily.

“Didn’t know you’d find it that quick! The older kids usually want to see if you can find it on your own.” Teddy said, and Lily beamed.

“Wasn’t that hard, honestly. I’d say more, but I don’t want to give it away.” She said with a wink at James, who rolled his eyes.

“Alright, who wants dinner?” Gran cried, and Lily quickly rushed towards the dinner table. Gran and dad would usually cook the meals, and they were the best thing that the eleven year old had ever had. When everyone was seated, the food appeared, and Lily quickly helped herself to the chicken and potatoes.

“So, Lily,” Uncle Percy called, getting her attention, “how do you like Hogwarts?”

“It’s amazing!” Lily beamed, making the adults smile, “I have three best friends already! Baylee Jones is American, actually, and she’s really into Quidditch. Faye Shacklebolt is quiet, but nice, and she’s really smart. And Artemis Rosier is hyperactive, but always makes us laugh. They’re all great!"

At the name Rosier, almost everyone stopped. The Rosier reputation was well known to them all. Lily bit her lip.

“Artemis isn’t like her family. Baylee’s a muggleborn, and Artemis loves her. Plus, I think her parents are mean to her. They sent her a howler for being in Hufflepuff.” Lily said quietly, and her dad nodded.

“I’m sure she’s a good person, Lily. After all, you’re her friend.” He said, and Lily smiled at her dad gratefully.

The conversations continued after that. Lily and her mum both teased Teddy and Victoire, making them blush and stutter, Albus and Rose told the table about their studies, and James eagerly regaled them with Lily’s pranking escapades, especially the dungbomb incident (which resulted in a high five from Uncle George, and a scolding from Gran).

After dinner, Lily began to bring her presents to her room. She had gotten some fiction books, candy, a book to put recipes in, some jewelry, a Hufflepuff scarf, some merchandise from Uncle George’s joke shop, and some music from her favorite singers. Her favorite presents, however, were from her friends.

Faye had gotten her an expensive looking hair clip, the design of it in the shape of a lily. Artemis sent her a sweater that was the same shade of brown as her eyes (“because you’re always complaining about how cold you are in the common room,” she had joked in the letter). Finally, Baylee had gotten her something called “nail polish” that turned Lily’s nails a pretty yellow, and an album by a muggle band, who were quickly becoming one of Lily’s favorite artists.

A knock on her door made the redhead jump, and she turned to see her dad entering.

“Hey dad.” Lily said, and he smiled as he greeted her.

“I have one last gift for you. I didn’t want to give it to you in front of everyone, though.” With that, her dad pulled out a cloak and handed it to her.

“Is this…” Lily started, her eyes wide. Her dad nodded.

“My invisibility cloak. Normally it’s given to the first son in the family, but knowing James, he’d lose it. I figured it’d be safest with you.” He said, and Lily looked up at him, beaming.

“Thank you so much dad! I’ll take good care of it, I promise!” She exclaimed, throwing her arms around her father, making him chuckle as he hugged her back.

“Dad?” Lily whispered into his shoulder, and when he hummed in response, she continued, “in the paper, there was a column about missing muggleborns. Do you know anything about that?”

“Why are you asking?” Her dad’s tone was conversational, but he had tensed.

“Because I’m worried.” Lily said bluntly, pulling away, “a boy asked Artemis if she wanted to “change the course of history” and finish what Voldemort started. Baylee, one of my best friends, is a muggleborn, along with Aunt Hermione. I want to help.”

Harry’s eyes had hardened at her words, and he put his hands on her shoulders.

“Lily, I want you to listen to me. Don’t look into this. The aurors have it under control, I promise you. Nobody is going to get hurt if I can help it.”

Lily grit her teeth.

“So you  _ do _ know something!” She said, and her dad sighed.

“I do. Before you ask, no, I can’t tell you,” he said sternly, and Lily’s hopeful expression crumpled, “don’t worry about it. Hogwarts is the safest place to be, and your friend Baylee will be fine. Now, I need to go help your mum put away dishes. Try to go to sleep, Lily.”

After kissing her forehead, her dad was gone. Crossing her arms and scowling at her door, Lily walked to her desk and began to write.

_ Dear Baylee, _

_ My dad knows something about the muggleborn disappearances, but he won’t say. I’ll try to get it out of him later, but I’m not sure it’ll work. We’ll just have to stay on our toes. I’ll tell all of you more on the train. _

_ Happy Christmas with lots of love, _

_ Lily _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TUMBLR URL CHANGE: the-liberal-mermaid (isn't that fucking lovely???)


	7. Secrets Spilled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our four heroines reunite, and the one behind the disappearances is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo yo yo! Sorry for taking so long my dudes, I've been busy and also obsessed with Voltron: Legendary Defender (which I recommend).
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

When Lily saw Baylee on the train’s platform, she didn’t hesitate to sprint ahead of her family.

“Baylee! Baylee Jones, get your arse over here!” She screeched, causing several people to look over at Lily in alarm. Baylee turned in surprise, but laughed when she saw Lily jumping wildly to be seen over the crowd. The blonde quickly made her way to Lily, and they hugged tightly.

“Hello! Did you have a good Christmas?” Baylee asked, breathless. Lily nodded and beamed, glancing back towards her family.

“I’ve got something to show you lot on the train.” She whispered, and then turned towards her parents.

“Mum, dad, this is Baylee!” Lily announced proudly, and Baylee turned red at the sight of Harry and Ginny Potter.

“H—Hello Mr. and Mrs. Potter.” Baylee said nervously, pulling on her ponytail. Her parents smiled at the American happily, and Lily’s mum extended her hand.

“Pleasure to meet you, Baylee. Lily told us all about you.”

Baylee’s eyes widened as she shook her hand, and a smile spilled across her face. Ever since she had gotten into Quidditch, Baylee had asked a million questions about Ginny Potter, just like Artemis had. Baylee hoped to join the Hufflepuff team next year, and Lily could tell that meeting an old professional player was slightly overwhelming to her.

“Mrs. Potter, I just wanted to say that I hope that I’ll be half as good at Quidditch as you were!” Baylee exclaimed, and her mum’s eyes lit up.

“Are you hoping to join the Quidditch team next year?” She asked curiously, and at Baylee’s enthusiastic nod, she smiled and said, “well I could probably teach you a few tricks over the summer if you’d like.”

Baylee looked ready to faint, and Lily had to suppress a laugh.

Someone tapped Lily’s shoulder, and she turned to see Faye smiling at her happily.

“Faye!” Lily cried, hugging her tightly. Baylee turned from where she was talking about strategies with Lily’s mum at the exclamation, and quickly ran over to hug Faye as well. The girl laughed at the pair of them, wrapping her arms around them both tightly.

“Now,” Lily started as they pulled away, “all we need is Artemis!”

After Faye was introduced to Lily’s parents, the three girls looked around nervously for their last member. Right before the train’s warning whistle sounded, Artemis’ shout was heard to their left. They all turned, grinning, as she ran towards them. Their expressions fell, however, when they got a good look at Artemis’ face.

“Did someone  _ hit _ you?” Faye cried in horror, grabbing Artemis’ face and examining the blackened skin around her eye. Artemis looked terrified for a second, but her face then arranged into an easy smile.

“I was playing around with my brother, he accidentally kicked me.” She said, and Lily bit her lip. She could see her parents exchanging a look behind her. The redhead wanted to say something, but she knew that now wasn’t the time.

“Well, Artemis,” Lily cut in, “would you like to meet my parents?”

Artemis turned, and her mouth dropped in awe at the sight of Lily’s mum.

“You—that’s—”

Ginny Potter laughed and extended her hand.

“Ginny Potter. It’s nice to meet you, Artemis.” She said, and Artemis rushed to shake her hand.

“Merlin, this is awesome! I’ve always wanted to meet you! Your Quidditch skills are  _ unreal,  _ Mrs. Potter!” Once Artemis started, she couldn’t stop. After several minutes of rambling about how much she looked up to Lily’s mum (and Lily’s dad beaming with pride), the warning whistle finally sounded.

After Lily hugged her parents goodbye, she turned to her friends.

“That’s our cue, Artie, let’s go.” Lily said loudly, grabbing Artemis by the robes and walking away.

“Ugh, fine, but I’m coming over to your house this summer!” Artemis sighed after a few seconds of struggling. Baylee and Faye trailed behind them, giggling at the sight.

* * *

 

“Your dad gave you  _ what?” _ Baylee exclaimed, her expression of shock mirroring the others.

“The invisibility cloak.” Faye breathed, looking at the fabric in Lily’s hands in awe.

“Show us! I’ve never seen one before! C’mon Lils, put it on!” Artemis said with a wide smile. Lily laughed lightly, and wrapped the cloak around her. When she disappeared, the girls shouted in surprise.

“Wicked!”

Lily took it off, beaming, and held it out to her friends, saying, “go ahead. I think if we try hard enough, we can all fit under it.”

Artemis grinned mischievously, and the girls looked at her expectantly.

“Imagine the pranks we could pull with this thing!”

The whole prospect of the cloak was a lot more exciting after that.

* * *

 

That night, the girls decided to try out the cloak. Huddling close, they were pleased to see that they could indeed all fit under it.

“Shame this won’t work when we’re older.” Baylee whispered as they wandered through the halls. The castle looked a lot different at night, and not in a good way. The halls seemed more ominous, and the shadows more sinister.

The girls stopped in their tracks at the sound of voices.

“—must keep a closer eye on the Potters.” Professor McGonagall said quietly, and Lily tensed.

“You’re sure it’s her? Erica Yaxley?” Professor Longbottom asked, and Lily could hear the worry in his voice.

“Positive. She’s always raved about blood purity, and her family, well…”

“What did she say to Harry exactly?”

“She’s finishing what Voldemort started, and that she’ll be paying his children a visit. Which is why we need to make sure that James, Albus, and Lily are safe.” McGonagall sounded tired, and Professor Longbottom sighed.

“What are we going to do?”

“I’m not sure. Thankfully, none of them were sorted into Ravenclaw, which was Erica’s house, so she can’t possibly get to them in their dormitories. But we must keep a close eye on them.”

“Lily,” Faye said gently, “let’s go back to the common room.”

The three girls had to tug her away, but Lily reluctantly followed them back to the Hufflepuff common room.

* * *

 

“Lily…are you okay?” Baylee asked hesitantly, putting an arm on her shoulder. They were sitting in their room, all looking at Lily in concern.

“I need to tell my brothers. They need to know to protect themselves.” Lily whispered, almost to herself.

“Okay.” Baylee looked rather pale, and Artemis laced their fingers together.

“Baylee, are  _ you _ alright?”

“I…I don’t know. There’s a woman who wants to kill everyone like me. I’m just not sure how to feel.” Baylee muttered, and tears were gathering in her eyes. She wiped them away furiously, and Faye sighed.

“Baylee, it’s okay to cry. You’re so strong all the time, it’s okay to let it out sometimes.” Faye said, and Baylee’s lip wobbled.

“Baylee,” Lily grabbed her other hand, “we won’t judge you for being scared. I’m scared too. Some dark witch decided that she wants to snuff my family, and kill one of my best friends. I’m shaking right now.”

Tears began to trail down Lily’s cheeks, and Artemis released Baylee’s hand, slung an arm over Lily’s shoulders, and pulled her into a side hug. Lily tugged Baylee towards her, and they hugged tightly. Baylee buried her head into the crook of Lily’s neck, and Lily felt a familiar wetness soak into her sweater. Faye and Artemis rubbed their backs and whispered words of encouragement to them.

For a moment, the world stopped for the four girls who faced an uncertain future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH SHIT


	8. Hogsmeade Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Background on Erica Yaxley and Artemis Rosier's family is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO SORRY I haven't been updating!!! I've been so busy (and lazy tbh) and my ADD brain has been bouncing ideas off of me for so many different things. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter as an apology.

After the girls had heard the name “Erica Yaxley”, they were obsessed with finding information. Lily and Baylee had taken to going to the library under the cloak and sneaking to the restricted section to see if her name would emerge. Faye would listen to the older students, as she tended to be overlooked for her quiet nature. Artemis, however, would go silent when they would talk about it.

“I think I know who she is.”

Lily’s hand, which had been turning a page in a very old book, froze.

“Wait, what? Why didn’t you say anything?” Baylee whispered, glancing around. They were in breakfast, and they didn’t want to risk being overheard. Artemis, seeing Baylee’s nervousness, sighed.

“Oh c’mon Baylee, everyone’s too excited about Hogsmeade to listen to a couple of first years.”

It was true, of course. Although it was January and terribly cold, everyone in third year and above were buzzing in excitement. The first and second years looked on in envy, waiting for their turn to finally go to town.

“Who is she, then?” Faye asked, and Artemis’ eyes grew heavy.

“She was a Ravenclaw who went here. Graduated recently, too. She was sentenced to go to Azkaban for murdering a muggleborn wizard, but she escaped. I’m not sure where she is now, but if there was anyone who was looking to finish what Voldemort started, it would be her.”

Lily’s brown eyes widened at this, and she leaned over the table.

“How in Merlin’s name do you know this?” She asked, and Artemis winced. The bruise on her face had long since faded, but the fact it was there in the first place had worried Lily immensely.

“I—” Artemis cut herself off abruptly, and curled in on herself, “please just…don’t hate me for this. Please.”

Baylee took her hand, and smiled encouragingly.

“I’d only hate you if you decided you wanted to join her.” Faye declared, and Artemis looked at her in disgust.

“Merlin’s beard, no. I’m not an idiot.”

“Debatable.” Lily muttered playfully, earning half hearted glare from Artemis, “now, Artie, just tell us. We won’t be angry.”

Artemis took a deep breath, but before she could say anything, someone pulled on Lily’s braid, causing her to cry out in alarm and pain.

“Well well well, if it isn’t the four brainless bimbos!” Lily scowled at the voice, and turned to see Seamus standing there with his two friends, whose names Lily hadn’t bothered to remember.

“What do you want, Seamus? We’re not in the mood to deal with you.” Artemis said, glowering and crossing her arms over her chest.

“Just wanted to ask how your holidays were, Rosier. Heard your parents had a field day with you.” Seamus sneered. Artemis’ face turned a bright red, and Lily could see the panic flashing in her eyes. Without thinking, the redhead stood and pushed Seamus away from the table.

“Leave us alone, unless you’d like me to hex you into next week. Which I’d be happy to do.” Lily snapped, and Seamus’ surprise was quickly overtaken by rage.

“I’d watch yourself, Potter. Wouldn’t want your friends to get hurt, would you?” He laughed, and Lily saw red.

The next thing she knew, Seamus was on the ground, clutching his nose, which was bleeding profusely.

“Say that again and I won’t be as kind.” Lily spat, her breath coming out in short, angry pants.

“Miss Potter!” A voice called, and Lily internally groaned. After the teacher had taken her outside of the Great Hall and given her a week of detention, the eleven year old walked to the common room with a pout on her face. The redhead sat on the couch of the Hufflepuff common room with a huff, picking up a random book that had been left there.

“You’re a barbarian, you know that?” Lily jumped, and looked up to see Eden glaring at her.

“Excuse me?” She retorted, fixing Eden with a glare of her own.

“You don’t have the right to hit other people, Potter. You deserve those detentions.” The girl sniffed, and Lily felt her temper begin to boil over.

“Listen up  _ Smith,”  _ Lily started, rising from the couch, “the only reason I punched that arse was because he decided it would be funny to pick on one of my best friends. I don’t take that sitting down.”

Eden looked less sure of herself, but still managed to say, “I thought that kindness was a Hufflepuff quality.”

Lily closed her eyes and took a deep breath to keep herself from screaming.

“So is loyalty,” she said heatedly, “and I’ll punch everyone who wants to hurt my friends. They don’t deserve my kindness.”

Eden looked stunned for a moment, but then remembered herself. She tucked her frizzy hair behind her ear, and her green eyes narrowed in anger. Clenching her fists, Eden flounced away, muttering about the idiocy of Potters. Lily couldn’t help but linger on how Eden’s cheeks had turned a rosy pink, and how pretty it was.

_ What in Merlin’s name— _

“Lily, that was  _ wicked!  _ We should punch Seamus more often!” A voice called, and she turned to see Artemis running towards her, Baylee and Faye hot on her heels.

Lily couldn’t help the smile that made its way onto her face, and she sighed dramatically as they sat in front of the fire with her.

“You’re welcome.” She said sweetly, and the three girls laughed.

After they settled down, Baylee cleared her throat, eyeing Artemis.

“Artie, you never told us how you knew about Erica.” She said without preamble, and the laughter in Artemis’ eyes died. Glancing down, she bit her lip.

“I know her because…because my family supports her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short, but I got slapped in the face with inspiration and this is what I came up with. Hope you liked it!

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on tumblr: trashben


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